Near Miss Reporting

Near Miss Reporting Issues Has been a challenge to the company and the wider industry for many years! Open to misuse due to poorly thought out schemes. Subject to unrealistic requirements i.e. quotas on numbers submitted. Poor reaction to reports of near misses by both Clients and employers. Uncertainty over what a near miss is! What is a near miss for one person is not a near miss for another. People become accustomed to their environment and can’t see the wood for the trees. People often address an issue without feeling the need to report it.

Near Miss Reporting Example 1. 36” steel pipe ‘sprung’ from hydraulic pipe clamp due to a human error. Pipe had been lifted into an open cut excavation by two excavators working in tandem. As one operator leant forward to open the window a control lever was moved causing the pipe to move. Analysis after the event highlighted that several failings led to the event i.e. the Swiss Cheese Model. Background reading identified that research by the HSE suggests that inadvertent operation of controls in excavators is a significant issue.

Near Miss Reporting Example 2. (Previous employer) Diamond blade segment loss - identified after an incident. Companywide inspection identified that over 50% of diamond blades in use had missing segments – not reported. Investigations showed that we did not understand the ‘science’ behind a diamond blade. User training was inadequate We were using the wrong blade We had based our risk assessments on knowledge of abrasive wheels NOT diamond blades.